February 2-11
Laoag City, Ilocos Norte
A celebration of the city's founding day highlighted by a dance parade
around the city proper, held every first week of February. Fiesta celebration
has become an integral part of the religious and cultural heritage of every town
in the Philippines.
From February 02-11, join Laoag City as they celebrate the Pamulinawen Festival.
Originally perceived by the early Spanish friars and conquistadors to
attractatives to their religious fold, fiestas indeed became a successful way of
converting them to the Catholic religion, thus it became a yearly festivity
handed down to us the passage of time.
The celebration is held on the feast day of the town's patron saint. Just like
any other town in the country, Laoag City celebrates its annual fiesta on the
11th of February, the feast day of Saint William the Hermit, its patron saint.
It is an affair, which is primarily done to give honor, pay our homage and
extend our thanks for the benevolence and generosity of Saint William. Through
his intercession to the Lord, Laoag City has been blessed and spared from
calamities and disasters. The Laoagueños wait for and look forward to every
celebration of the city fiesta, making it an extension of the fun and the
frolics of the Christmas season.
As early as the first week of January, preparations start for the festivity.
All government offices, national as well as local, all non-governmental
organizations, people's organizations, the religious and business sectors are
tapped to actively participate in the different planned activities. Given
special participation are our "kailians" who are now residing abroad,
particularly those in Hawaii, Mainland U.S.A. and even those overseas workers
who wish to come home and celebrate with us.
Merry-makings begin days before the Feast Day. The City Fiesta officially
starts with a Civic and Military Parade and the opening of the Agro-Industrial
Fair, among others. Matinees are held in the afternoon at the City Amphitheater
sponsored and coordinated by Laoag City DECS. These matinee shows are venues
where pupils/students manifest the Ilocano culture and spirit through songs and
dances. Evening affairs are sponsored and taken cared of by different groups...
Association of Barangays Councils, the City Government, the NGO, the Balikbayans,
to just name a few.
The highlights of the celebration are varied. People flock the City
Amphitheater to witness the search for Miss Laoag City, they line up the streets
to view the floral parade on the 9th of February and the Dance Parade on the
11th. Floats became more elaborate with more significant themes. Students,
barangays and city officials, employees and even the private sector join in the
floral parade.
And the number of participating floats increases yearly. Not to be outdone is
the Carnival Fair, which occupies the riverbed portion of the mighty Padsan
River, just below the Marcos Bridge. This is an attraction not only for kids but
also for fun-loving adults. They go and see the Circus, to have joyride on the
caterpillar, ferries wheel, merry-go-round, octopus and others.
